While I was living abroad I was blessed to be the marketing assistant to a woman with a truly incredible company: she leads food tours through the markets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. There were many perks that came with that job, like the best burekas with the most luscious fillings, learning where to buy high quality spices and hard-to-find “foreign” ingredients (like brown sugar), and which shops were truly worthwhile.

I’ve been home for a while, and she and I have kept in touch. She initiated a new start-up that would allow people in the United States to subscribe to a food delivery box filled with artisan foods and treats from Israel. During that time I had the pleasure of finally getting paid to do what I love: recipe development.

Actually, that wasn’t the only passion that I was getting paid for. In the span of a month and a half I had my 2nd catering gig, I taught my first cooking class plus I developed recipes for Koofsa. It was so validating and special to finally get to use my passion for cooking in that way; I felt a surge of motivation and fulfillment.

This is one of my favorite recipes that I developed for her company. These macaroons are so much better than store bought, and that’s coming from a girl who can go through a container of Manischewitz macaroons in no time at all. These mocha coconut macaroons, dipped in a velvety mocha dark chocolate ganache, stood no chance in my kitchen. We devoured them, and I know you’ll love them too!

This is a special and simple recipe to add to a festive meal or holiday dessert table. They are Passover kosher and gluten free with a gentle and satisfying sweetness that comes from date syrup. This recipe is loosely adapted from this one.

Directions

Start by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, heat ½ cup heavy cream with 2 tbsp date bean coffee in a saucepan over low heat. Once the cream is hot, but not yet simmering, turn the burner off and pull it off the heat to let the date coffee to infuse the cream.

Meanwhile, toast half of the coconut in the oven until it is golden brown. Check on it regularly and use a spatula to toss the coconut flakes around so that you can be sure they don’t burn! Remove the pan from the oven once the coconut is golden brown and set aside to cool.

Whisk egg whites, silan (date syrup), vanilla extract, almond extract and salt until frothy, and then stir all of the coconut into the egg mixture.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. If you are using parchment paper, spray the surface of the paper lightly with baking spray so the macaroons don’t stick. Take your batter and scoop a tablespoon at a time and shape it into rounds on the baking sheet, about an inch apart.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

While the macaroons are baking, prepare the ganache: Heat the cream again just so it is hot but not yet boiling. Pour the chocolate chips into a heat-proof bowl and strain the hot cream through a fine mesh sieve to remove coffee grounds; allow the cream to drip into the bowl of chocolate chips. Slowly stir the cream and chocolate together until the chocolate is completely melted and the cream is fully incorporated. Resist the urge to eat the whole pot with a spoon.

Place another piece of parchment paper on a second baking sheet. Once macaroons are cool enough to touch, carefully lift them from the pan, dip each macaroon the ganache and place on the second baking sheet. Cool in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Keep refrigerated.

*If you don’t have date bean coffee (it is a bit obscure), you can substitute your favorite ground coffee beans.

As should be expected, any holiday, get-together, or even the smallest event is a reason for me to cook something extravagant. It could be Thursday night with a bottle of wine and my best friend and that’s a good enough reason for me, so clearly Rosh Hashana had to have something special. I had recently given in to my Smitten Kitchen addiction (I really spend far too much time clicking the “Surprise Me!” link and reading recipes on her website) and fell in love with her recent recipe for Olive Oil, Sea Salt & Fig Challah. Of course I aspired to make it for Rosh Hashana, I even stood in Sprouts for maybe 30 minutes contemplating the difference between seriously four kinds of figs- why do they have four different kinds of dried figs?!

Amidst my rushing about to recreate the latest SK masterpiece, I also had an idea of my own. I didn’t know if I liked figs (now I know- I do), so I wanted to make another Challah that I knew I would like, and I wanted to incorporate apples. But how?

For days I pondered… Then, it dawned on me: Apple Butter. The perfect solution!

Let me tell you about my love for apple butter. But soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and apple butter is the sun.. but for real, apple butter is delicious. And ridiculously easy to make. So much so that I am already planning my next batch, and you really have no excuse to not bust out your crock pot at this very moment.

So, with this revelation, I made three challahs for Rosh Hashana. Yes, three! My love for homemade challah runs deep. I made Smitten Kitchen’s Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Fig Challah; Plain Challah with sesame seeds (for the discriminating tastes in the house); and the glorious Apple Butter Challah with Cinnamon Sugar. Oh, it was majestic.

I first learned how to make challah from my Rabbi’s wife in college. Chaya taught me so many things about life, love, and Jewish cooking and for all these things I will be forever grateful. Her carrot kugel cannot be matched (I have tried countless times). Her baked chicken is always perfect and juicy and amazing. And her challah is to die for! So, lucky you, that’s the recipe I used! Coupled with my apple butter, it was a combination that I will not soon forget. Enjoy!

Homemade Apple Butter

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

Directions

Peel and core each apple. Roughly cut the apples into 1/2″ cubes and place in a large bowl. To the apples, add brown sugar and spices. Mix well to coat the apples. Add apples to your crock pot with 2/3 cup water. Set on low for 15 hours (this is best done overnight). Stir occasionally.

Apples, after about 12 hours

After 15 hours, blend until smooth with an immersion blender. If you do not have an immersion blender, you can blend it in batches using a regular blender. Prop the lid of the crock pot open with a wooden spoon and let simmer for 2-3 more hours until the mixture has thickened. During this time be sure to stir occasionally. Then, shut off the crock pot and let it sit (with the lid still propped open). When it has cooled enough to be manageable, transfer the apple butter into canning jars or glass tupperware. It can be frozen as well.

Chaya’s Challah

Makes two Challahs

Dissolve a tsp of the sugar 1 cup of water. Add yeast and let the yeast foam for 5-10 minutes.

Combine the yeast mixture with the remaining water, half of the flour, the rest of the sugar and the salt. Once combined, add the egg and oil. Then work in the remaining flour until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead for 5-10 minutes until it becomes elastic and has “acquired a life of its own.” It should spring back when pressed with a fingertip. Try to add only enough flour to keep the dough from sticking. Drizzle 2 tbsp of oil into a bowl and roll the dough around to coat it in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for an hour.

Section dough in half. With each half, evenly cut enough pieces for whichever braid you choose. With each piece, roll the dough out flat. Spread a layer of apple butter over the dough, avoiding the edges (fig filling shown in the images).

Roll the dough back into a log (like a cinnamon roll). Repeat this until you have enough apple butter-filled pieces of dough for your braid.

Proceed to braid the challah in whichever style you prefer. Place on a greased baking dish and brush with an egg wash. Allow to rise 1 additional hour.

45 minutes through the second rise, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the challah with a second egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. When the oven is heated, bake for 30-45 minutes on a middle rack, until the interior temperature reaches195 degrees. If the top begins to brown to quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of foil.

This dish is so, so yummy. In fact, I would recommend doubling or tripling it! It combines some of my favorite flavors, and I have to admit the idea is not all my own. Last night, my brilliant, new-to-cooking younger sister made a cauliflower kugel that was so delicious. I wanted to create something that was similar to her dish, but cheesier.

Directions

Combine olive oil and butter in a skillet. One bubbling, add thinly sliced onions and reduce heat to medium-low. Allow onions to caramelize for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thinly slice cauliflower and potato. Reserve enough large potato slices to cover the top of your casserole, and cut the rest into ribbons. Mix cauliflower and potatoes with 2 tsp olive oil and freshly cracked pepper. Lay out on a greased baking sheet, with 5 garlic cloves (still unpeeled). Roast at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. In a bowl combine sour cream, pesto and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside. When the cauliflower and potatoes are done, take the garlic cloves out of the papers and chop them up.

In a glass bowl, mix together garlic, cauliflower and potatoes, caramelized onions and sour cream mixture. Grease a casserole dish (I used an 8″ round one) with butter. Pour the mixture into the dish, layer on the thinly sliced potatoes, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese (however much you want- go crazy!). On a middle rack, bake covered, for 15 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 additional minutes, rotating half way through.

This dish smells so yummy when it is baking- I wish you all could be in my kitchen right now! I was really craving macaroni and cheese for dinner, but since it is passover this is a great alternative. I really think cauliflower is overlooked sometimes, which is unfortunate because it is so versatile. And seriously, its so yummy that I might eat the entire casserole!

This delicious mushroom and onion sauce was the perfect complement to our beef roast for our Passover Seder tonight. This sauce is divine and will leave you conjuring up any excuse to put it on everything that you eat. Granted, there is sour cream and butter in the sauce. If you keep a Kosher household, you can omit the sour cream and substitute olive oil for butter. This sauce is a delicious addition to asparagus, and works wonders with potatoes and chicken!

Directions

In a small pot, heat butter and oil. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown. Next, add the freshly grated garlic. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes. Add white wine, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce directly to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes until it reduces by half. Add 3 tbsp water, stir, and remove from burner to let cool. An optional step is to blend partially or completely with an immersion blender. Once the sauce has cooled slightly, add the sour cream and mix well.